A5: Regulations for higher doctorates: Doctor of Letters (DLitt), Doctor of Science (DSc)

Transcription

1 A5: Regulations for higher doctorates: Doctor of Letters (DLitt), Doctor of Science (DSc) Academic Year 2014/15

2 Contents The award... 1 Eligibility... 1 Preliminary application... 1 Submission of works... 2 Appointment of examiners... 3 Examination... 3 Re-application... 4 Disposal of works... 4 Formal conferment... 4 Appeals... 4

3 The award 1. The Degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) or Doctor of Science (DSc) may be awarded to an eligible candidate who is considered to have made a distinguished contribution to original research or learning over a sustained period of not less than seven years on the basis of published works of high distinction in scholarship and/or research which has established or confirmed the individual as a recognised authority of international standing in his/her field. Eligibility 2. Any person who satisfies one of the following criteria may be eligible for candidature for the Degree of Doctor of Letters or the Degree of Doctor of Science: a graduate of the University of Surrey of not less than ten years standing a person awarded a Diploma in Technology following a programme of study at Battersea College of Technology a member of the academic staff 1 of the University of Surrey of not less than four years continuous standing full-time or six years part-time a member of the academic staff of one of the University s Associated or Accredited Institutions of not less than four years continuous standing full-time or six years part-time 3. A person who does not satisfy the conditions of Regulation 2 but who has carried out research at or in association with the University of Surrey, which has led to publications that will form a substantial component of the body of work presented in support of his/her application, may apply to the Research Degrees Committee, by writing to the Research Degrees Committee for permission to be a candidate for either Degree. 4. All submissions will be assigned to a Faculty of the University (the sponsoring Faculty). In the case of staff and former staff this would usually be the Faculty in which they are/were employed. External candidates will be assigned to a sponsoring Faculty by the Research Degrees Committee whose activities and expertise most closely match those of the submission. Preliminary application 5. The candidate shall submit to the Research Degrees Committee through the Committee Secretary: a completed application form a curriculum vitae a list of the published works, copies of which will be provided and on which the application is based a brief account of between 300 and 1000 words explaining the relevance of the works to the advancement of knowledge in the field or fields concerned 1 Academic Staff means all the persons holding appointments as Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers or Lecturers of the University [full or part-time] and such other persons or holders of appointments as the Council, on the recommendation of Senate, may from time to time stipulate. Council has determined that such other persons shall be taken to include persons holding Visiting or Honorary/Joint Appointments with the University (Council - 17th March 2005). For the purposes of these Regulations, Academic Staff shall also be taken to include all persons holding appointments as Tutors, Clinical Lecturers, Senior Tutors and University Directors. 1

4 a statement specifying whether any of the supporting works have been submitted for any other Degree awarded to the candidate (works accepted for a Degree of the University of Surrey or another university may not form part of the submission but may be included with the submission where they are required for examiners to follow the development of a line of scholarship or research. Where works are included in this category they must be clearly identified.) a statement specifying which, if any, of the works were written in collaboration with others and indicating the proportion of the work which was attributed to the applicant (the statement should, be supported by information about the nature of the collaboration, the role and position of the collaborator at the time the work was prepared. Where possible written verification by the collaborators would be helpful and the University retains the right to seek such verification) the appropriate application fee 2 6. The sponsoring Faculty will nominate suitable assessors from within and without the University to act in the assessment of the prima facie case for submission. The Research Degrees Committee shall consult such persons and after taking such advice as it sees fit, determine whether the applicant has made a prima facie case for eligibility to be a candidate for the award of either Degree and shall inform the applicant accordingly. 7. If a prima facie case has been established, the Dean of sponsoring Faculty shall appoint a Mentor/Facilitator to advise the candidate in the preparation of the submission. Submission of works 8. Within twelve months of confirmation of his/her candidature for the Degree of Doctor of Letters or Doctor of Science, the candidate shall submit to the Academic Registry three suitably bound 3 copies of the submission of 50 pages/15,000 words, to include: a typed list of the contents of the submission a statement specifying which, if any, of the works were written in collaboration with others and indicating the portion of the work which is attributed to the applicant (the statement should, be supported by information about the nature of the collaboration, the role and position of the collaborator at the time the work was prepared. Where possible written verification by the collaborators would be helpful and the University retains the right to seek such verification a commentary, indicating the significant contribution which each of the submitted works has made to the advancement of knowledge and how the works are related copies of each of the supporting published works on which the submission is based the appropriate examination fee 4 2 The initial application fee payable is available on: 3 It is not necessary for the works to be permanently bound but the commentary and supporting loose papers should be placed in some form of binding for ease of handling and the totality of the submission collated within some form of rigid binder/container. 4 The examination fee payable when the works are submitted is available on: 2

5 9. The candidate may also submit: a list of unpublished works which have been accepted for publication, copies of which have been provided in support of the submission works accepted for research degrees at the University of Surrey or another University but which are essential for the examiners to follow a line of thought or research or scholarship. These works will not form part of the assessed body and must be clearly identified as such other works, copies of which have not been provided but which may support the submission, should be cited in the commentary Appointment of examiners 10. The sponsoring Faculty shall nominate not fewer than three examiners for approval by the Research Degrees Committee. At least two of the examiners shall be persons who neither currently hold any appointment of the University, except that of external examiner, nor have co-authored any of the works listed by the candidate in his/her submission. 11. The Academic Registry will issue letters of appointment to external examiners and shall confirm the appointment of any internal examiner. Examination 12. The examiners shall determine whether the works submitted demonstrate that the candidate has personally made a substantial contribution to original research and knowledge and has become an authority in the field or fields concerned. 13. Each examiner shall report independently on the assessment to the Research Degrees Committee and shall make one of the following recommendations: that the Degree be awarded that the degree be awarded, subject to specified, minor corrections 5 and/or additions 6 being made only to the statement and/or commentary to the satisfaction of the examiners that the Degree be not awarded 14. The Research Degrees Committee shall consider the reports of the examiners and determine whether the Degree should be awarded. If the examiners recommendations are not unanimous, the Research Degrees Committee shall consider the reports of all examiners before reaching a decision. 15. The Research Degrees Committee may, if it sees fit, appoint an additional examiner and shall consider all the examiners' reports again before reaching its decision and recommendation. If the recommendation is that the works be not awarded, the examiners reasons will be made known to the candidate. 5 The phrase specified, minor corrections shall be taken to include the correction of minor corrections, minor errors of fact, typography, grammar, style, syntax and/or layout of graphs/tables etc., which would enhance the readers understanding of the author s argument but which does not alter the intellectual content and reasoning of the thesis. 6 Minor additions are those which do not involve further supervision or any further original research. Such additions might include, for example, additional sentences, tables, paragraphs or pages but not normally chapters. 3

6 Re-application 16. A candidate to whom the Degree is not awarded may submit a fresh application at any time, provided that such an application includes additional published works based upon further study and research. Disposal of works 17. Dissemination of knowledge is one of the objects of the University. 18. Two of the three copies of the submission shall normally be returned to the candidate. If the Degree is awarded, one copy of the submission shall be retained in the University Library. Formal conferment 19. The Degree of Doctor of Letters or Doctor of Science shall be conferred upon a successful candidate at a Congregation held for the purpose by resolution of the Senate. The University shall publish the names of those who have been awarded degrees in the University Gazette and may publish them elsewhere. 20. After the formal conferment, the graduate shall be given a Degree Certificate. The Certificate shall either be handed to the graduate or sent through the ordinary post to the graduate's address. A replacement Certificate can be issued only on receipt of a written request from the graduate and on payment of the appropriate fee. Appeals 21. The grounds for and procedures for appeals are set out in the University s Regulations for academic appeals. 4